Senator Dino Melaye, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Kogi State governorship election, has dismissed rumours that he received N3bn from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Group, for his campaign.
Speaking at a dinner held in his honour by his campaign team in Abuja, Melaye attributed these allegations to detractors aiming to derail his campaign.
Dino categorically denied receiving N1 billion from Atiku and N2 billion from Dangote, labelling these claims as “fake news” spread by “betrayers”. The former federal lawmaker also shared three key lessons he learned from his election campaign.
He highlighted the importance of unity within the PDP, particularly in Kogi West, for the party to secure victory in any election. He stressed that it was against the party’s political interest for any zone in the state to field more than one candidate in such a crucial election.
Despite the outcome of the elections and various challenges, Melaye expressed gratitude to God and his supporters, particularly General Tunde Ogbeha (Retd). He noted that their campaign was peaceful, with no incidents of gunshots or violence, even during late-night travels through the state.
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Dino described the November 11 elections as an anti-climax, with the democratic process not being respected. He encouraged his campaign directors not to lose hope, assuring them that future outcomes would be different if people maintained faith in them.
He also emphasised the need for unity within the party, urging leaders to avoid creating confusion. Melaye expressed confidence that valuable lessons had been learned from the election.
Dino proudly stated that their campaign was unprecedented in Kogi State, marked by sophistication and a comprehensive policy document. Despite the election outcome, he asserted that they hadn’t lost, as there was no proper election. He revealed that the campaign expenditure was the highest ever by the PDP in Kogi State’s history.
Melaye concluded by urging his political family not to be disillusioned, disenchanted, or discouraged, but to remain united and learn from the experience.